Biomass-based fuel products are desirable because they provide a renewable energy source and an eco-friendly alternative to coal and other fossil fuels. Processes such as torrefaction are known to produce at least partially carbonized biomass-based fuel products offering increased energy value and improved combustion properties over the raw biomass.
Densification and pelletization processes are known to transform the at least partially carbonized biomass into more useful forms for storage, shipping, and handling. Densification and pelletization processes, however, experience problems. It would therefore be desirable to provide improved methods and apparatuses for producing pelletized, carbonized biomass-based fuel products.